here's what you can expect today. a chance of light snow until noon. this whole event is over with at 3:00 p.m. don't sleep late. >> you'll miss the whole thing. >> enjoy it. that's it for news 4 today. we'll be back in 25 minutes. >> see you for 90 minutes at 9:00. good morning. one-two punch. just days after that nasty christmas storm pounded the midsection and eastern half of the country, another one is quickly moving up the eastern seaboard today. and it could impact up to 25 million weekend holiday travelers. we'll tell you where it's headed. deal or no deal? aay after a high-stakes meeting at the white house, washington lawmakers working furiously today to keep us from going over the fiscal cliff. but can they do it in time? and family feud. a college student fed up with what she calls her meddling, overbearing parents goes to court to get them to back off. now, she has a restraining

order. today, saturday, december 29, order. today, saturday, december 29, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this saturday morning. i'm erica hill. >> i'm cain for lester holt. just when you thought it was safe to go out, another storm is hitting the east coast. >> there won't be as bad as the storm that spun off tornadoes and dumped heavy snow across the northeast and the east this week. it could certainly impact holiday travel. we'll have the latest coming up in a moment. also ahead, in the wake of the sandy hook school tragedy, a new plan from the controversial sheriff in arizona. he wants armed volunteers to patrol the schools there. we'll get into that debate. then, we'll share with you a

romance story 20 years in the making. it began with a simple love letter in elementary school. plus, did you get the gift for the holidays that, well, just wasn't you? a record number of returns are expected this year. but did you ever wonder what happens next? we'll take you inside a warehouse where many of these items go and actually wind up getting resold at some pretty deep discounts. >> i like the sound of that, deep discount. we'll go shopping, too. we begin this morning with the stormy weather blanketing parts of the northeast. dylan dryer has the latest. yes flar, this time it looke southern new england will get the brunt of it. you see the warnings and advisories posted all across the northeast. basically stretching right down into ohio. and into parts of even northeastern kentucky. it's in southern new england from boston back into rhode island where we will see the heaviest of the snow with this storm system. now right along the immediate coastline from cape cod right down into delaware and

washington, d.c., that's an area that should be mostly rain. you go just west of that rain/snow line, and that's where we're going to see the heaviest snow and the highest snow amounts. it looks like there will be some six to nine-inch reports from boston right down into southeastern massachusetts. an area that's been waiting for snow so far this season. in new york city itself, this is not a big storm. it looks like one to three inches. the roads because it hasn't been all that cold so far this season should be under control. then you go back up into new york state. there will be pockets of heavier snow with about sick x to nine inches possible. same for northern pennsylvania. there will be spots that pick up higher snowfall totals. this is not a huge event, we're not talking about a lot of wind with this system, but it does still look like parts of southern new england will pick up most of the snow from the system. carl? >> thanks. we'll get to the national forecast in a few minutes. meantime, lawmakers in washington are desperately trying to reach a deal on the fiscal cliff today, hoping to avoid steep spending cuts and

tax increases. kristin welker is at the white house where the president had a high-profile meeting with congressional lawmakers on friday. good morning. >> reporter: carl, good morning to you. all eyes are on the senate this morning as majority leader harry reid and minority leader mcconnell true to cobble together a last-minute plan to avoid the fiscal cliff. president obama saying he is modestly optimistic that they can come up with a plan in time. on friday, president obama met with the four top congressional leaders here at the white house for about an hour. sources close to those talks say that the president gave lawmakers two options, either come up with a plan that can make it through both chambers or put his proposal up for a vote. under the president's plan, the bush-era tax cuts would be extended for those making $250,000 or less with rates allowed to raise on top income earners. it would also extend unemployment insurance benefits. president obama saying the time for action is now. >> the american people are not going to have any patience for a

politically self-inflicted wound. ordinary folks, they do their jobs. they meet deadlines. they sit down, and they discuss things and then things happen. if there are disagreements, they sort through the disagreements. the notion that our elected leadership can't do the same thing is mind-boggling to them. it needs to stop. >> reporter: and congressional leaders called friday's talks constructive. >> we'll be working hard to see if we can get there in the next 24 hours. so i'm hopeful and optimistic. >> i'm going do everything i can, i'm confident senator mcconnell will do the same. but everybody, this is -- whatever we come up with, it's going to be imperfect. >> reporter: now the president said that he is confident that his plan could make it through the house. of course, that will be a challenge. he would need at least 30 republican votes. the house and senate expected back in session tomorrow.

carl? >> kristin welker in washington, thanks. john harwood is cnbc's chief washington correspondent. good morning to you. >> good morning, carl. >> we are down to the wire. a couple of days left. senate leaders are talking. what kind of deal could we be looking at? >> we could be looking at a deal that extends tax cuts for everyone under $400,000 in income. this is the spot that people have been discussing. it was the last offer from the president to john boehner, the house speaker, before negotiations collapsed. it would do a few other thing like take care of the alternative minimum tax, protect taxpayers from the expansion of that burden. it would also raise medicare reimbursements for doctors or prevent them from falling, rather, extend unemployment benefits. the irony is that this is a much worse deal for republicans than they could have had earlier because it's not likely to include spending cuts or reforms of entitlement programs. at this point, republicans are knowing that they'll lose the

tax debate are trying to figure out what are the least bad terms they can lose on. >> you mention that income level of $400,000. earlier, the speaker of the house had floated what he called the plan b that would allow cuts to expire on those making $1 million or more. republicans would not support that. why would they support this? >> well, many of them will not support this. but the dynamic that they're looking at is one that if you have a bipartisan bill go through the senate and a significant number of republican senators vote for it, if mitch mcconnell makes it happen, then republican in the house would see that there's a bipartisan deal on the table, and they would not likely turn it down. that is to say the leadership would put it on the floor. it would pass with many democratic votes, not a majority of republican votes, but a significant number of them, and john boehner would likely having been jammed by his own membership on plan b would probably not block that. at least that's the calculation and the hope by those negotiating this deal. >> john, this is one of those

moments where everyone's scratching their heads and wondering why this is always so difficult. why is deal-making such a laborious process in congress. you make the point that it's been building up the last generation or so. >> it has been, and it's gotten to a point now where you have the ideological divisions overlapped with the partisan ones. you have a conservative republican party, liberal democratic party, and the patterns of opposition, a permanent warfare between the two make it very difficult to surmount those divisions. and the fact that you have the deadline, the december 31 deadline, is really what's making this happen if it does, in fact, happen on sunday, monday, and we'll see whether they can do it. >> to sum that up, what should we be watching for today and tomorrow, and your own thoughts on the odds of a deal happening. >> not much to watch for today, carl. the negotiators are going to be working throughout saturday. i expect that on sunday morning

the house and senate -- excuse me, the bipartisan leadership of the senate will come out, say that there is a -- an agreement that they're going try to push. then that would go to the senate floor. it would pass probably on monday, then the house would be faced with a very rapid-fire decision over whether or not to allow a floor vote on it. that's where we'd get that make or break moment where john boehner either says i'm going to put this on the floor or i won't. but it will go right up to the last minute. >> fantastic, thank you very much. and a brief program note. david gregory will have an exclusive interview with the president on the fiscal cliff crisis. that's tomorrow on "meet the press." >> kind of sobering when you hear john say if it wasn't for the deadline, we wouldn't probably be as close to this point. want to check now some of the other top stories from jenna wolf. good morning. good morning. promising news for the victims of superstorm sandy. $60 billion emergency aid package sailed through the senate friday with backing from democrats. however, the bill does face an uncertain future now in the

house where republican leaders want to cut that aid package by more than half. federal prosecutors are accusing a neighbor of arming an ex-con who fatally shot two firefighters responding to a house fire in western new york on christmas eve. they say the woman, dawn nguyen of rochester, knew spengler wasn't supposed to have any weapons. one was a semiautomatic rifle similar to the one used in the connecticut school massacre. a $100 million lawsuit is brewing in connecticut following the horrific school shooting. attorney irwin pinski represents a 6-year-old girl who he says has been traumatized by the killings. he wants to sue the state for failing to protect students from foreseeable harm. the state has inutrient against most lawsuits -- immunity against most lawsuits unless permission to sue is granted. the six men arrested in the gang rape of a woman in india two weeks ago are charged with murder following her death. the victim, a 23-year-old medical student, died today at a hospital in singapore where she had been taken for treatment by

specialists. security has been tightened in new delhi where thousands of protesters have been demanding greater protection for women in sexual violence. george h.w. bush is still in intensive care at a hospital in houston. family spokesman jim mcgrath says the 88-year-old former president is improving. his conversations with doctors and nurses now include singing. bush is being treated for a fever following bronchitis-related cough. is hockey going to happen this season? i ask you that. the nhl wants to get back to the bargaining table with the locked out players association after a new contract offer from the league broke thece between the two sides -- no pun intended. okay, maybe a small one. talks are scheduled to resume sunday in new york. proof that annual traditions in other countries don't always translate. a town in southeast spain is cleaning up after revelers battled it out with flour, eggs, and -- wait for it -- firecrackers. the annual flour/egg/firecracker

fight takes place on december 28 and celebrates spain's equivalent of april fool's day. to recap, that is flour, eggs, and firecrackers. jud . >> do they combine? >> yeah, like bisquick a la requirecrackers. >> some story meetings -- >> maybe next year. >> maybe. we'll see. >> thanks. dylan dreyer has a check of the national forecast. good morning. >> good morning to you guys. yeah, talking about snow in the northeast. rain in the southeast. and right smack dab in the middle of the country,

snow will continue coming east. expect your snow chance prior to noon today. after that, it's rain. all the precipitation ending about 3:00 today. take a look because some folks are saying, where's the snow? it's west of us now between now and 9:00. that line will come to the east. we will be getting some snowfall in here, but only for about three or four hours. amounts pretty light. an inch, maybe just over that in montgomery county. a little bit more way up to the north. some snow changing to rain around here. >> that is your latest forecast. >> thanks. a controversial arizona sheriff has a plan for stopping gun violence? schools. he wants an armed posse of volunteers to stand guard. as we report, his plan is being met with a lot of outrage. >> reporter: as soon as 20

students and six teachers were gunned down in newtown, connecticut, a national conversation began about how to keep it from happening again. arizona sheriff joe arpaio is done talking. >> i have decided to now send a posse out, an armed posse to the schools. >> reporter: starting next week, arpaio will deploy members of his all-volunteer armed posse to patrol the perimeter of his county schools. >> i qualify for taser. i qualify for baton. >> reporter: jerry johnson is a member of the posse. he dresses like a deputy, trains like a deputy, and has nearly the same authority as any other member of law enforcement in maricopa county. >> visual presence of a marked patrol car is one awareness and a deterrent for anyone that might think that they might want to go a schoolgrounds. >> reporter: in neighboring utah, teacher steven pratt applied for a concealed gun permit. >> this is called a pistol. >> reporter: during free firearm

training for teachers and school personnel. >> i personally wept when i heard the news, wondering what i would do personally in a classroom. >> reporter: utah allows anyone with a concealed carry license on school grounds so long as they carry it on their body. however, critics say arming school staff has not stopped shootings in the past. on the day of the columbine massacre, there were armed guards on patrol. still, the shooters managed to kill 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves. >> it's too dangerous for kids to be around. >> reporter: teacher brian montez believes the answer to school violence lies in fewer guns and says more cities should follow los angeles' example in holding gun buybacks. the last one yielded more than 2,000 weapons, including two rocket-propelled grenade launchers. >> simple math. if we have fewer guns on the street, there is a less likely chance that they're going to be used against our children in schools. >> reporter: as far as arpaio is concerned, there is no debate.

his posse will be patrolling schools within days. whether his constituents want it or not. >> not going to tell the sheriff he can't patrol the streets in front of the school. >> reporter: for "today," nbc news, los angeles. >> and now here's carl. thanks. even if you've never worry good how to pay your mortgage, there's a good chance you know someone who does. nearly a million homes in this country are in some stage of the foreclosure process and could potentially end up being repossessed. one nonprofit group is trying its best to cut through the red tape and help people in need. the story from lisa meyers. >> reporter: they came in desperation and in hope. >> try to save my home. >> lower my costs so i can stay in my home. >> i'm hoping the bank will reduce my interest rate. >> reporter: over five days, 5,000 homeowners in trouble came to the baltimore convention center for an event sponsored by the neighborhood assistance corporation of america or naca.

>> welcome, everybody -- >> reporter: and a chance to hang on to their american dream. dave and leslie hurst flew in from boulder, colorado. >> we're behind in our mortgage and in foreclosure. and we'll lose our in a moment we don't get our loan modified. >> reporter: he works with teens, she's a real estate broker. during the recession, their incomes plummeted and they got behind. their foreclosure notice arrived a few weeks ago. at the home they share with their three children. >> hardship -- >> reporter: desiree harvey, a college computer technician, says she's struggling to help support three generations of her family and keep this home. >> i'm just falling behind. i've worked -- i haven't had a raise in five years. >> reporter: both took on mortgage loans and debt which they could no longer afford. >> everything is free -- >> reporter: naca is the brainchild of bruce marks, a former bank regulator who now calls himself a nonviolent bank

terrorist. >> wells fargo. wells fargo. bank of america. welcome. >> reporter: his nonprofit helps homeowners in trouble and protects them from predator lending. >> whether people -- predatory lending. >> when people come here, our job is to make sure they get an affordable solution. >> reporter: the government he says has failed to hold banks accountable. mark cuts through bureaucracy by bringing the big banks here. >> all the players are here in one place to get it done. >> reporter: first, naca's mortgage loan counselors examine homeowners' financial information and living expenses to determine what they can afford. then they bring the homeowners and all their documents to meet with their banks. face to face. >> it's tough to say no when you're face to face with a homeowner. someone's not apiece of -- not a

piece of paper, they're family, their lives. >> reporter: the organization has conducted 100 of these home-saving events across the country. the result, more than 200,000 families, they say, have struck new deals with their banks and kept their homes. the homeowner pays no fees if the homeowner stays current for three months, the banks pay naca $500 to $ 50 for each new loan modification. these are the sounds of success. [ gong ] [ applause ] >> reporter: some are overcome with emotion. desiree harvey got a new fixed rate mortgage loan at a lower rate which reduced her monthly payments by $284. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> thank you for being so understanding. >> you're welcome. >> it's a relief. >> reporter: after three days of waiting, dave and leslie hurst got their answer. >> i think it will be a good

solution -- >> reporter: a new fixed rate loan which makes them current and cancels their foreclosure. [ gong ] [ applause ] >> thank you very much. >> thank you very much. >> reporter: back in colorado, a day later, the couple was getting ready for the holidays. >> there you go. now we actually have a path to keep our home. so i can't even begin to tell you how good that feels. >> reporter: they say it's a fresh start. lisa myers, nbc news, baltimore. >> and once again, here's ericka. thanks. we're learning more about the late president ronald reagan and his relationships with two of the most well-known women in the world. britain's former prime minister, margaret thatcher, and queen elizabeth. newly uncovered documents provide a fascinating look behind the scenes of these relationships of power. we have this report from london. ♪ >> reporter: in 1982, the queen welcomed president reagan on his

first state visit to great britain, and it all looked so effortless. >> i'm so glad to welcome you and mrs. reagan to britain. >> reporter: but the files reveal how much anxiety the trip caused in britain. what type of clock should the reagans be given as a gift. in washington they were much more relaxed about the visit. among the documents, frustration that the white house is taking weeks and weeks to reply to the queen's invitation to great britain. the british ambassador notes the president's staff is not well organized and confusion prevails in the white house. the president had his own concerns. how should he dress for riding with the queen. the answer, whatever the president finds most comfortable. he took their advice. relations with britain's other leading lady was famously warm. prime minister thatcher called the president "ron," he addressed her as "margaret." together they were political soulmates. >> i think they had a congenial

personal connection. although what the document show that margaret thatcher wasn't always so full of praise for reagan. >> reporter: britain was at war with argentina trying to hold on to its island in the south atlantic. >> the united states came down firmly on our side over the faulklands, and we're very grateful to them for being such staunch allies. >> reporter: in private, there was tension. reagan urged her to negotiate, but she wanted victory. mrs. thatcher said "she was sure that the president would act in the same way if alaska had been threatened." to get what she wanted, the iron lady used her softer side. "dear ron," she writes, "i think you are the only person who will understand the significance of what i'm trying to say." >> very personal. >> absolutely. >> reporter: mrs. that th thatcher's charm offense worked and they remained friends long after they left power. nbc news, london. an elementary school crush

blossoms into true love. we'll tell you about a roman more than 20 years in the making. cue the music. first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come, a record number of holiday gifts are expected to be returned this year. where some of those end up might surprise you. plus, we'll look back at 75 years of "weekend today."

live pictures right now. it's a calm and quiet start to the day. get ready. we have some snow and rain moving in. so far, the area already seeing a dusting. we're going to check the forecast in a minute. fist, good morning, everyone. i'm richard jordan. 7:26 on this saturday, december 29th, 2012. winter weather is the big story today. virginia v-dot trucks are standing by. crews got to work around midnight to get ready for the storm. it's the same scene in d.c. and

maryland. many road crews spent all day yesterday pretreating those roads. we'll keep you updated right here. veronica johnson w

we are expecting wh ining tr weather to start arriving soon. let's go to veronica johnson with the timeline. >> only a few short hours we have a chance to pick up accumulating snowfall, from about 8:00 a.m. to noontime today. after noon, what happens? that rain starts to take over. precipitation will be ending by 3:00 p.m. there's the line right now. winchester getting reports of light snow. as that heads eastward,e'll see about 1 to 2 inches in the areas to our north and west.

it's all rain for southern maryland. they've already changed over from sleet to all rain. 39 your high for today. cold and windy tomorrow. the high, 39. new year's eve right now looking dry. new year's day, it's another storm. >> all right. we are back on this saturday morning, december 29, 2012. times square is empty right now. >> not for long. >> no. in about 72 hours, it's going to be packed to the gills. thousands of people, of course, waiting to see that crystal ball drop and ring in 2013. wouldn't be surprised if some of our friends on the plaza will be among the revelers come monday. >> i think there's a good chance. >> you coming -- >> i have worked times square i think four or five years. >> yeah. >> which is a good way to do it. when you're working, you actually have access to the bathrooms which is a good thing. but it can be very cold, and it is a lot of fun.

such great energy. people come from all over the world. >> meantime, i'm carl quintanilla along with erica hill. lester has the morning off. coming up this morning, we'll look at 25 years of "weekend today." >> we celebrated that silver anniversary this year. we'll share the big stories from that quarter century and hear from some of the people you've shared your weekends with over that time. plus, ever wonder what happens to those christmas presents that you take back to the store? most aren't just put back on the shelf. we're going to show you one place where holiday returns are big business. plus, a little later, love and romance on ice. we're going to take you to the iconic new york location just outside our studios where many men pop the question. that may look familiar to you. >> kind of gives it away. >> a little bit. and we'll begin this half-hour, though, with a love story 25 years in the making. it all started when a sixth grade boy wrote a letter to a classmate who was then the apple of his eye. little did he know where the romantic road would lead.

here's more. >> reporter: the love story starts with this letter in 1990. >> our middle school romance was puppy love. >> reporter: trevor webb was a sixth grader when he wrote to his classroom crush kathy. there was a classic all caps disclaimer at the top, "don't let anyone see this." and in the prose only prepew bessent boys can conjure, he wrote, "i still like you and still want you to go with me." trevor tells him to meet him at the end of the hall. she does. >> i was just trying to hold her hand. it wasn't like i was trying to find the love of my life. >> reporter: the courtship lasted only two weeks. kathy broke it off. >> i remembered it like it was yesterday because she really was my first love and my first heartbreak. >> reporter: they grew up, went their separate ways, and left their hometown of pensacola, florida. but kathy always kept trevor's letter. >> i'm a sentimental person. so i save everything. >> reporter: good thing she did because almost 20 years later, the two came back to pensacola

and became friends. but not for long. >> we were hanging out with a bunch of friends. so they -- they dropped us off and we ran down to the beach and somehow ended up kissing. ♪ >> reporter: that got things rolling to a roller rink where trevor, sporting a white tux and brown skates, proposed to kathy while the roller derby teammates watched. >> the old brown rental skates and i roller skated out there. i roller skated around her for a minute. then i came and popped the question. >> you didn't fall. >> reporter: when they tied the knot, two decades after trevor wrote that letter, there it was. >> just cemented even more that, you know, we were meant to be together. >> reporter: the wedding photographer snapped a photo of the letter and posted it on line. and the couple's story went viral. kathy's advice to those looking for love -- >> don't discount your good friends because, you know, best friends can turn out to be the

greatest of love. >> reporter: for "today," nbc news, atlanta. >> sweet story. >> yeah. i like that "don't let anyone see this." we need the "do you like me, yes, no." -- >> check the box. >> we'll go to weather and dylan. good morning. i'm confused. i thought it was the weekend, but we've got savannah. we've got lester showed up on his day off. we've got everybody here from the weekday program. so thanks, guys, for making sure everybody was here for the "today" show this morning. we are talking about snow in the northeast today. we've got the chance of seeing some of

those that get snow today will not see much at all. it's areas north and west of d.c. that will see the best chances. after noontime, it's mainly rain. precipitation will end about 3:00 today. you can see the line of white. that's the snow advancing eastward. should be arriving around d.c. by the time we get to 9:00 a.m. so 1 to 2 inches of snowfall. the high today, 39. and that is your latest forecast. erica and carl? >> all right. thanks. ahead, a family feud that ends with a college student getting a restraining order against her parents. up next, a look back at 25

years of "weekend today" with some of your favorite anchors from the past 2 1/2 decades. first, these message. [ male announcer ] with over 50 delicious choices of green giant vegetables it's easy to eat like a giant... ♪ and feel like a green giant. ♪ ho ho ho ♪ green giant is a little frightening. i weigh myself naked. can i take my clothes off, too? [ woman ] oh, i don't want to look. ♪

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citi price rewind. ♪(music playing) ♪(music playing) ♪(music playing) ♪(music playing) ♪(music playing) this year "weekend today" celebrated our 25th anniversary. >> that is 2 1/2 decades of breaking news, on-the-road adventures and general silliness. >> here's a look back at some of the most memorable moments in "weekend today" history. welcome to "today" on a sunday morning. i'm lester holt. >> with so many --

>> good morning again -- >> good morning. >> here are some of the stories we'll be following -- >> we tried to think about how we could make "sunday today" different. the first broadcast and its ratings everywhere -- >> i can't take the pressure. >> all your fault. >> thank you very much. >> the idea was this is your broadcast version of your sunday paper. >> glad to join the traveling trio here. >> this is the first "today" on saturday which means "today" will be seen seven days a week. >> you're part of the family. >> part of the family. >> relax with us. >> you'll enjoy spending the next couple of days with us. >> what "weekend today" was able to do was be all things to all people. >> never tried to take ourselves too seriously. >> nbc "weekend today" mowdown showdown! >> a comfortability about doing morning tv and the license to be yourself. yes! >> yes! >> minutes before the show, you're always excited right as the clock hits and the opening theme song starts. >> all night we heard the impact

of -- >> on the environment -- >> the death of a princess. >> live from the johnson space center. >> you feel as though they love you? >> never forget the primary mission, we're newscast. >> history -- >> i was really mad that i was nine months pregnant. i was not at the berlin wall. i was like, hello, it's coming down, and i am here and can't travel. this is not acceptable. >> the terrible destruction left in the wake of hurricane andrew -- >> tragic ending to a fairytale that never quite was right. >> if i'm feeling this sense of loss, then the viewers are certainly going to be feeling the sense of loss. we owe it to them to tell the story as best we can. >> people around the country have begun to mourn the kennedy family's apparent latest tragedy today. >> we'll have a look at all the irony and joy as well as the tragedy in the life of john kennedy jr. >> we have breaking news to report for you this morning. it appears that 6-year-old elian gonzalez has been removed -- >> oklahoma city, so much

heartache and still hope. >> the people versus o.j. simpson. >> an elected president was impeached for the first time in history -- >> get the latest on hurricane katri katrina. >> overwhelming. >> it is so pitiful. >> it gave you so much hope that this child could touch people in a way that he truly changed their lives as much as they tried to change his. >> in haiti, the devastation is immense. the loss incomprehensible. >> so much of this show has become an extension of who we are. and oftentimes news happens in our hometown, people we know, people that are close to us that affect us. >> the attempted assassination of congresswoman giffords. >> the defining moment -- >> disaster in japan. an extraordinary new look at the moment of the crisis. >> allows us to cover the story with more dimensions. we spend time talking to people. i think that's really powerful

component of the show. >> the wind has been gusting here 30, 40, 50 miles per hour all day. we're in south central iraq now. >> david of the complete package. super smart, super handsome, really fun. tremendous ability. loved journalism and just loved to be able to jump into a story. >> we have taken this job of "weekend today," but my true passion and true love is still reporting. and he was able it combine the two of them. >> the image that comes to my mind and probably everyone else's is david on the tank. t going through the desert. >> i would be remiss if i let you go without passing along to all the good wishes from your colleagues here at "weekend today." i add my voice. see you soon. please stay safe. >> reporter: thanks, i look forward to getting home. >> bye. >> i got a call the night that david died. i didn't know what was going on, but i know it was horrible. >> a difficult morning.

>> i remember thinking that my only responsibility was to his family. to melanie and his daughters. >> and of course a lot of fun in between which is one of the perks. there are a lot of perks working on saturday and sunday mornings. >> david bloom was like a 12-year-old. enthusiastic about everything. practically vibrated with enthusiasm. and just fun. >> it is snowing outside -- >> oh! >> and we're on the road this morning in jerusalem. >> we went all over the world. you could say like, wow, let's go to israel, and we went to israel. >> we did a show from hawaii. >> i don't really remember much about hawaii. maybe i had one too many pina coladas. >> we work very hard here. >> yeah. >> i always. there was something magical about taking the show on the road. >> the aussies on one side, the usa on the other. >> our knockoff version of "where in the world is matt

lauer." >> the idea is we wouldn't know where each other were going. >> thoughts? >> are you in venice? >> mine was las vegas. and the venetian hotel had gondolas and canals. we were trying to fool them into believing his gone to venice. >> i thought, did he really get to go venice? if you're in venice, i'm going to be mad. >> it was the best part. the look on her face was like, what, i'm in new orleans, he's in italy. are you kidding me? >> we just had fun. ♪ >> high. kick high! ♪ >> new york city! [ applause ] >> the producer at the time said, you know, you play bass. yeah. and somehow they worked it out so i was able to play with captain and toneil. i probably rehearsed that song

at home 500 times. ♪ ♪ like you see ♪ >> nobody, not one show, not one person, nobody does halloween the way they do halloween at the "today" show. >> susan boyle! ♪ a dream >> when i get that laughter from the crew like, yes, that was a good one. hopefully the people at home are laughing, as well. ♪ >> you can open your eyes. >> do you have anything that sort of numbs the pain before you do this? >> i can't believe i was that old. and i never had my ears pierced. i was really nervous about doing it on tv. mostly because i was afraid that the person who was doing the piercing was going to get nervous. >> oh! >> did i do it -- >> no --

>> i can't tell you how many times i've said i can't believe they're payneath do this. >> thank you. thank you very much! >> thank you. thank you. >> everybody -- >> what a great crowd on our plaza this morning. >> i was really proud to be the first anchor of "sunday today." >> we've had a lot of great talent. folks who have gone on to do terrific things. >> al -- >> hi! >> of all the things i've done in television, probably the thing that i most enjoyed was the "weekend today show." >> people say, "weekend today," -- >> anchors come and go, but it's that same feeling. >> people who worked on the show always feel this connection. that is probably the coolest part of the job is being able to share incredible moment with people. >> great job to be a part of. here's to the next 25. >> i remember i was in college

and used to watch the snow. scottcitement scott simon and jackie nespral. would say there's an inmates running the asylum feel. >> part of the attraction. >> yeah. >> my first weekend on "weekend today" was the weekend they were celebrating the 25th anniversary. and i looked around and said, do i belong here? i don't know. it seems so insane. it was -- it was awesome. >> and shortly after that she asked if she had made the montage. you've been here eight minutes. maybe. >> see the picture at the end -- >> little bit. and dylan. >> you will be in the next one. >> good. i hope so. still ahead this morning, a big year for will, kate, and the rest of the royals. we'll get you caught up. first, these message. brooke wasn't eating while fighting her brain tumor. i am now. that's why i made cupcakes. when brooke was diagnosed in california, the neurosurgeon told her parents "if it was my child i'd send her to st. jude children's research

hospital." which they did. now, brooke has hope. yucch! wanna get ice cream? -you buy. -alright. give thanks for the healthy kids in your life. and give to those who are not. go to st. jude dot org or shop where ever you see the st. jude logo. yeah, our low prices are even lower. we need to teach her how to walk. she is taking up valuable cart space. aren't you, honey? [ male announcer ] it's clearance time! up to 50% off seasonal decor. 50% off toys. apparel $3 to $9. walmart. into john stamos. honey! i think i'm getting burned! eat. ♪ tastes pretty good, huh? [ men grunting ] open! [ male announcer ] oikos. possibly the best yogurt in the world.

for their annual football trip. that's double miles you can actually use. tragically, their buddy got sacked by blackouts. but it's our tradition! that's roughing the card holder. but with the capital one venture card you get double miles you can actually use. [ cheering ] any flight, anytime. the scoreboard doesn't lie. what's in your wallet? hut! i have me on my fantasy team. aunt sally's singing again. it's a tradition, honey. [ singing christmas carols ] mmmm. [ female announcer ] make new traditions with pillsbury grands! cinnamon rolls.

new year's eve is monday night. you guys got any resolutions? >> i try every year and it never works -- i eat sweets after every meal. even after breakfast. i need to stop that. i mean -- three servings of sweets a day, probably not good. >> and the days when we have six meals, it's really not good. >> we'll try -- we'll hold you to that. we'll monitor your -- >> okay. >> i don't do resolutions. >> no. i've never been a big resolution person to begin with. but sometimes i feel like, you just kind of set yourself up -- sorry, dylan. yeah. so i'm -- my resolution is no resolutions. but i fully support you in your efforts. >> it's not going work. i am setting myself up fur failure. >> that is the attitude. >> yes. >> i'm learning spanish this year. >> you are? >> yes. >> try -- >> i've been saying that for 30-plus years. this is the year. by december 31 of next year, i will be speaking somewhat fluent spanish.

>> i do hear it coming down the hallway -- i hahave no idea wha you're saying. >> thank you, dylan. >> what struck me was 26acts. ann curry spoke about paying it forward. i'd like to find a way to make that happen all year long. and buy a lamborghini. >> maybe you should buy one for somebody else. that would be nice. >> this is "today" on nbc.

still to come, the latest on the snowstorm hitting the northeast. we're putting dylan it work today. what it could mean for travel across the country. plus, the impacts on your wallet as washington lawmakers can't avoid the fiscal cliff. first, these messages. new years clutter is no match for someone with big ideas. with a new project in mind, some how-to knowledge to give us an edge, and more savings down every aisle. it only takes a few twists and turns

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time right now is 7:56. good morning, everyone. i'm richard jordan. we are tracking winter weather moving into the region. crews are fanned out across the area this morning. road workers were out in the middle of the night treating the roads, paying special attention to bridges, overpasses, and ramps. in virginia, v-dot trucks are standing by, waiting to see any snow. this is a live look. we'll be tracking weather and traffic conditions all day here and at nbcwashington.com.

now is a good time to download our storm team weather app. get the latest weather updates on the go no matter where you are 24/7. search nbc washington weather in the app store. so when will we be seeing any flakes at all? which areas will get the most?

♪ ♪ [ children laughing ] ♪ [ female announcer ] sometimes, if you wish hard enough, you get exactly what you want for christmas. welcome to christmas town: a busch gardens celebration. discover the wonder at christmastown.com.

good at morning, everybody. we're watching the snow make its way southeastward, a slide that will arrive in our area. a little drier air. not much in the way of flakes just yet. there is snow around i-80. we have a better chance of seeing snow up until noontime today. we'll pick up some light

accumulation. really just a nuance storm. after noon, it's just rain, leaving by welcome back to "today" on this saturday, the 29th of december, 2012. a great crowd on the plaza. nice to have them with us on this chilly morning. braving the elements out there. i'm erica hill. welcome inside with carl quintanilla and jenna wolfe. we'll brave the elements -- >> easy to be warm in here when you're actually in here. >> and warm. lester has the morning off. coming up in this half-hour, it is a holiday weekend for many americans. not, though, for washington lawmakers. they are working to come up with a last-minute plan to stop tax hikes on the middle class. we've got the latest from the white house. also a look at what it could mean for your we'll wall -- your

wallet if a deadline is not reached. this year is expected to be a record for gift returning. we'll show where some of those unwanted presents end up and are resold at steep discounts. this is interesting. many college students try to break away from their parents when they go off to college. what if your parents won't let you break away? one college senior filed a restraining order against her mom and dad. we'll tell what drove her to do it. a banner year for the british royal family, from the diamond jubilee to news that william and kate are expecting. a look back at their amazing year. another winter storm ready to hit a large part of the country. dylan dreyer with more. good morning. we are talking about more snowy weather all across the northeast. you see winter weather advisories and even a few winter storm warnings are posted across portions of ohio into northern kentucky and also into southeastern new england. especially southeast massachusetts. back into rhode island.

that's an area we could see i'd say the jackpot for snowfall totals. you can see where the storm is now. bringing rain all across the carolinas. heavy rain across eastern north carolina. but the snow is sitting -- trying to move into southwestern massachusetts. really slow to get going at first. eventually it will intensify as we go into this afternoon. we are going to see the snow start to accumulate in some areas. i'd say three to six inches, northern new england through vermont and new hampshire, back into new york state. even northern pennsylvania. and then in the new york city area, even western long island, about one to three inches. this is not going to be a huge system that has a lot of wind with it. so flooding is not going to be that much of a concern. especially in the new york city area and jersey shore. we are looking for some of the heaviest pockets of snow from boston into southeastern massachusetts and northern rhode island. it's those areas that could pick up about six to nine inches. it all winds down as we go into tomorrow. it doesn't last all that long either. erica? >> all right. thanks. and we'll get more on your

national forecast coming up in a few minutes. right now, we want to turn to the fiscal cliff negotiations in washington. this morning there is cautious optimism from both sides that a deal of some sort can be reached. kristin welker is at the white house with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: erica, good morning to you. the focus is on the senate this saturday morning as majority leader harry reid and minority leader mitch mcconnell try to cobble together a last-minute plan. meanwhile, on friday president obama said america's patience has almost run out. with steep tax hikes and deep spending cuts looming, president obama used the power of his office to turn up the pressure on congress, making a quickly arranged appearance in the white house briefing room friday. >> the hour for immediate action is here. it is now. i'm modestly optimistic that an agreement can be achieved. >> reporter: the president repeatedly tapping into the public's frustration to bolster his argument. >> the american people are not

going to have any patience for a politically self-inflicted wound. ordinary folks, they too their jobs. the notion that our elected leadership can't do the same thing is mind-boggling to them and needs to stop. >> reporter: the stern words came on the heels of an hour-long meeting with congressional leaders. sources close to the talks say mr. obama gave lawmakers two options. either come up with a bill that can pass both houses or allow a vote on his plan which among other things would extend unemployment benefits and tax breaks for those making $250,000 or less while allowing rates to raise on wealthier americans. something many republicans oppose. on capitol hill, glimmers of hope. >> we'll be working hard to try to see if we can get there in the next 24 hours. and so i'm hopeful and optimistic. >> i'm going to do everything i can. i'm confident senator mcconnell will do the same. everybody, this is -- whatever we come up with is going to be imperfect. >> reporter: a republican aide

said house speaker john boehner is awaiting senate action before weighing in. earlier in the day, some republicans blamed the president for the impasse. >> i agree that it is the president's responsibility to lay out a plan and to bring people together. but it's a total dereliction of duty, and candidly a lack of courage to deal with these issues. >> reporter: the uncertainty has started to affect the markets, and economists warn going over the cliff will impact a lot of americans quickly. now president obama has said that he is confident that his plan could make it through both chambers. but of course in the house, that will be a bigger challenge where he would need to get a substantial number of republicans to vote for it. the house and senate are expected to be back in session tomorrow. erica? >> all right. thanks. so what exactly does going over the cliff mean for your wallet? jackie deangelis is here to break it down. good morning. >> good morning to you. >> as we heard, the impact could kick in quickly. what happened on tuesday -- what happens on tuesday if there's no

deal? >> the fiscal cliff is basically a series of an expiration of tax cuts as well as some new taxes combined with spending cuts that if we don't reach by the end of the year, we're going to go over, okay? there's a few main points that are really important to look at. the ones that are going to impact average americans most, that's what you need to consider. the first is the expiration of the bush-era tax cuts. what this means is that basically income tax rates are going to go up for nearly all american taxpayers. president obama, of course, is looking to avert the cliff by setting a threshold whereby the higher income earners will pay more but that the middle income and low income earners won't pay more. also to consider is the application of the amt, the alternative minimum tax. this will apply to taxes in 2012. it's one that's actually looking back a little bit and what's going to happen is you're going to see 30 million more americans be subjected to this tax that weren't before. in addition to that, we're also looking at the expiration of the payroll tax holiday.

what that could mean is on the 1st of the year, the first paycheck that americans receive, it's going to be 2%, there's going to be 2% of taxes that will be higher in that paycheck. so less money coming than was before. last but not least, i want to highlight the earned income tax credit and also the child tax credit. those are two that help the low income and middle-class earners. those are going to go down in we go over the cliff. >> a lot of people are focused on those. when you talk about the first faycheck that we could see -- paycheck that we could see, give us a sense -- you've broken it down to different income levels. the first if you make $50,000. >> absolutely. we want to look by the numbers. that's how americans can really see how it's going to impact them. take, for example, a married couple that doesn't have any deductions. if they make $50,000 in combined income, their tax rate goes from 13% to 17%, they will be paying $2,000 more each year. that's on top of what they already pay. say the couple makes $100,000. the rate goes from 18% to 23%, so they're going to expect to pay $4,600 more.

say the couple makes $150,000, last scenario, 21% to 26% is the rate change, and that couple's going to pay nearly $7,000 more. >> so pretty significant numbers. there are all spending cuts. $1.2 trillion in spending cuts which were spread out over the next nine years. those that won't happen if we go over the cliff. and unemployment benefits specifically could be impacted immediately. >> that's absolutely right. you've got more than two million americans that are receiving those benefits right now. if we go over the cliff, that will stop and, you know, there's a lot of people out here struggling. they're looking to find jobs but rely on the money to help them make ends meet. >> separate issue here. a lot of people are focused -- i know i am, we were talking about this in the break -- on the price of milk because of the farm bill. what's happening with that, and why could we see milk prices perhaps more than double in some cases? >> sure. there is a 2012 farm bill that was not passed before the election. basically what's going to happen january 1 is we're going to revert to having milk prices set

by an act that was in place in 1949. so very antiquated. what that means is the milk price could double. the average in right now for a gallon of milk is about $3.50. you could see it go to $8 by february. now what can happen is within the next year as we're looking to change things, we can either pass the new bill, or we can extend the bill that we have. if that happens, then the secretary of agriculture can step in. and he can adjust the prices. >> got you. we'll be watching all of that. nice to have you here. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. a programming note -- david gregory will have an exclusive interview with president obama on the fiscal cliff crisis tomorrow on "meet the press." want to check the morning's other top stories from jenna wolfe. good morning. good morning, hi, everyone. over $60 billion of aid to victims of hurricane sandy is hanging in the balance this morning. the senate passed an emergency spending package last night, but the house has yet to vote. republicans want a smaller bill. more than a half million homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed in the october storm.

former president george h.w. bush is in intensive care this morning, but his spokesman says he's improving. nbc's gabe gutierrez is outside the hospital in houston for us. good morning. >> reporter: enagood morning to you. as you mentioned, the former president is here at methodist in the intensive care unit. he's improving. the family spokesman now says that his exchanges with doctors and nurses include singing. now the 41st president of the united states went to the hospital in early november for bronchitis. he was released after a few days but then returned after thanksgiving after developing a nagging cough. the family hoped to have him back by christmas, but this past sunday doctors put him in the icu. when he came down with a fever. now the family has not released many details about his treatment. but late this week, his chief of staff sent an e-mail to well wishers urging them to put the harps back in the closet. aides say that the former president is in very good spirits, although he's not expected to leave the hospital any time soon.

jenna, back to you. >> all right. thank you very much. philadelphia police is caught the alleged shooter in an attempted murder caught on tape. police say the shooting broke out after an argument over a basketball game. it happened on a subway train two weeks ago. matthewarily, the suspected gunman, was arrested last night. his brother eric was already facing charges of attempted murder. two people were injured in the shooting. an australian surfer is recovering after fending off a shark not once, not twice, but three different times. while luke allen was surfing off new south wales, the shark came at him. he lost a finger and piece of his leg on the first two bites. when it came around again, he rammed it with his surf board and paddled back to shore. then i hope he ordered a tall, stiff drink. soccer's a game for the nimble and quick unless your name rhymes with telephant. i bring you the elephant festival. large beasts going head to head and tusk to tusk. pachyderms making it look easy.

they bend it like dumbo. that was the corniest reference of all time. the event raises awareness for animal conservation and makes for good stories back at work on monday morning. i'm just saying, in case you need something to talk about. that is the news. back to you. >> that is unbelievable. what's next? elephant ping pong? >> the elephant olympics coming up. >> it's not enough we did this for you, we need a year to rest after this. you know pachyderms. >> thanks. dylan dreyer has a check of the national forecast. good morning again. >> good morning, everybody. we're helping people reach their goals. the last thing on your bucket list is -- >> to be on the "today" show. >> i see you have the -- the first time we can check anything off. there we go. it is done. [ cheers ] >> now you need to come up with a new bucket list.

good saturday morning to you. storm team 4 meteorologist v veronica johnson here. take a look at the radar. that whole line of snow driving toward our area. finally, we're going to get a little snow in here. but it's not going to last for long. until about noontime today is our best chance of snow. then it's rain after that with the whole system moving out by around 3:00 today. >> that is your latest forecast.

erica? >> thanks. still to come, from the queen's diamond jubilee to news of an heir on the way, we'll look at quite an eventful you're for the royal family. next, do you ever wonder where that christmas gift you returned really ends up? we'll show you. ( ♪ ) for those nights when it's more than a bad dream, be ready. for the days when you get a sudden call from the school, be ready. for the times you need to double-check the temperature on the thermometer, be ready. when you have children's motrin on hand, you're ready. for high fever, nothing works faster or lasts longer than children's motrin. be ready with children's motrin. [ ding! ] losing your chex mix too easily? time to deploy the boring-potato chip decoy bag. then no one will want to steal the deliciousness. [ male announcer ] with a variety of tastes and textures, only chex mix is a bag of interesting.

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now that the christmas presents have been unwrapped, retailers are anticipating gift getters taking back items. a record $63 billion worth of holiday gifts will be returned this year, and you might be surprised where all those unwanted presents end up. c kerry sanders with the story. >> reporter: these are the gifts that keep on giving. >> this is a pile of toys as well as razor scooters and huffy bikes on there, as well. >> reporter: this giant warehouse in cranberry, new jersey, is the temporary home for countless holiday presents that were sadly returned to sender. ♪ >> reporter: from stocking stuffers to big-ticket

electronics, these unwanted presents have all been sent back to santa's workshop. ♪ >> in many cases, it's a brand new product. in other cases, it's a very lightly used predict -- used product. consumers are getting something close to what they get in a retail store. >> reporter: a booming industry and this holiday season is a major reason. with retailers facing a crush of returned gifts, few want to risk their reputation reselling potentially damaged goods. that's where warehouses like this one come to the on rescue. many of the nation's biggest manufacturers and retailers unload excess inventory at one of four liquidity service warehouses across the country. >> returned holiday gifts are likely on a truck on the way to one of our warehouses. >> reporter: here the merchandise is unpacked, tested to make sure it's not damaged and in working order. it's all been resold in bulk to a public auction site. much of it selling at a big discount to businesses and

entrepreneurs like hector ramos. >> i average 100% profit. i double my money. >> reporter: ramos is one of those who finds the warehouse deals too good to pass up. he makes a living buying these returned gifts and then reselling them on ebay. >> i think liquidation.com is proof that one person's return is another person's treasure. ♪ >> reporter: a real-life island of misfit toys destined for new homes at bargain prices. for "today," kerry sanders, nbc news, miami. and still ahead, think your parents are overbearing? we will tell you about one college senior who got a restraining order against her parents after she says they went too far to keep tabs on her.

still to come, crowds flock to rockefeller center to see the famous christmas tree. and special moments at the rink just below the tree. plus, we'll look back at the year in tweets and viral videos. man, there were some good ones. first, these messages. [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus presents the cold truth. i have a cold, and i took nyquil, but i'm still "stubbed" up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] it doesn't have a decongestant. no way. [ male announcer ] sorry. alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms plus has a fast acting decongestant to relieve your stuffy nose. [ sighs ] thanks! [ male announcer ] you're welcome. that's the cold truth! [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus. ♪ oh what a relief it is! ♪ [ male announcer ] to learn more about the cold truth and save $1 visit alka-seltzer on facebook. cheese plate? cheese plate...nope. i made something better. ♪ you used the oven? boom ♪ [ male announcer ] pillsbury crescents. let the making begin.

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good morning, everybody. things have nice and call right now, but light snow and a mix this afternoon is expected. then it's going to get a little blustery. it is december 29th. welcome to saturday. i'm angie goff. we're expecting snow in the area today, as i mentioned. let's head right over to meteorologist veronica johnson. >> hey, angie. certainly has taken all morning long to see the some flakes around here. you can see it down the south.

that's the white. the whole area up toward winchester and martinsburg, that will be coming east. we'll get some flakes. chance of light snow until noontime today. so only a few short hours to pick up accumulating snow. rain after that and the whole system is gone by 3:00 today. maybe an inch for gaithersburg. maybe an inch for sterling. it's rain for most of us here around d.c. and down to the south. at times, you may see a little more sleet trying to mix in today. it's cold and win duh fdy for t evening. 39 today. 39 tomorrow. then as we look at new year's eve, it should be dry. new year's day, a new storm that will try and form. >> all right. thank you. a look at your top stories after the break. have a good night. here you go. you, too. i'm going to dream about that steak.

i'm going to dream about that tiramisu. what a night, huh? but, um, can the test drive be over now? head back to the dealership? [ male announcer ] it's practically yours. but we still need your signature. volkswagen sign then drive is back. and it's never been easier to get a passat. that's the power of german engineering. get $0 down, $0 due at signing, $0 deposit, and $0 first month's payment on any new volkswagen. visit vwdealer.com today.

in virginia, v-dot trucks are standing by waiting for the snow. you're taking a live look right now at i-95 and morton road. we're going to be tracking traffic and weather conditions all day here on news 4 and of course at nbcwashington.com. and now is a great time to download our free storm team 4 weather app. you're going to get the latest weather updates on the go no matter where you are 24 hours a

day. just search nbc washington weather in the app store on google play. of course, throughout the morning, we want you to tweet us your pictures at news 4 today. you can e-mail them as we are back on this chilly saturday morning. i think that's the word for it. december 29, 2012. we are expecting snow in the new york city area on this final saturday of the year. in the meantime, i'm carl quintanilla alongside erica hill, jenna wolfe, dylan dreyer, and by the way, coming up this half-hour, overbearing parents. anyone? >> i didn't have that -- >> no -- >> not much. >> there's a student at the university of cincinnati whose parents made unannounced visits to her on campus. put some special software on her computer, on her cell phone. wait until you hear what she did

to stop them. >> we go from that then to the rink here at rockefeller center behind us. one of the most iconic locations in new york city especially at the holidays beneath that beautiful tree. a very popular place for skating, obviously. obviously a bit of a destination for couples, especially when one half of that couple has a little something in mind. we'll share those stories in a bit. and also, this has been a very eventful year for britain's royal family, of course. first the queen's jubilee, then the olympics. and the family ended the year with a little bit of incredible news that william and kate are expecting. we'll look at how they kept the world talking in 2012. it's hard to believe that about five years ago we weren't doing much tweeting or facebooking or too much of that. now it has been an absolute banner year for social media from the race for president to the new names joining twitter. we'll look back on what had you talking and sharing on line. we have just mashed it together in one perfect little package. you will have missed nothing after you see this. i don't want to oversell it, but

i think i just did. >> the entire year. let's check the weather with dylan. >> we are waiting for snow in new york city. i saw a flake or what we will see around here is mostly conversational snow.

areas north and west of d.c., a little more of a nuisance. we have snow around charlottesville, headed toward frederi fredericksburg. after noon today, the rain takes over as we warm up. should get a high today of 39 degrees. some areas in >> wait here. we have perfectly printed signs and a hotel bag. we know who put more effort in this morning. boo to the boys and hally, get up now. we're looking at tomorrow as a big night for sunday night football night in america. we are watching the cowboys take on the redskins at fedex field. that game will be one to watch this year. partly cloudy, 29 to 32 degrees for your sunday night football night in america. you can always get your weather channel forecast on weather.com. erica? >> dylan, thanks. college is typically a time for young adults to gain a

little independence from mom and dad. one family's close ties has really taken things to extremes. as michelle franzen reports, it ended with a 21-year-old getting a court order against her parents. ♪ >> reporter: aubrey ireland is pursuing her dream, studying singing and acting at university of cincinnati college conservatory of music. a passion she says her parents shared and supported. aubrey even posted photos on facebook with her parents following performances. but the senior college student says her parents' need to keep constant watch over her went to far. to the point where aubrey went to court, asked a judge to grant a stalking order against her parents, and won. in court document, the 21-year-old told a judge her parents, julie and david, frequently drove from their home in kansas to her campus in ohio unannounced to check up on her. they told her and college officials she had mental problems and they could try to

have her evaluated. in the filings, she said her parents traveled to cincinnati, showed up at my university and made threats to my musical theatre department. and added, "they also improperly monitored my phone and computer with tracking software." it is an unusual case, experts say, that goes beyond what's known as the helicopter and overprotective parent. >> the helicopter parent is overly involved maybe, intrusive. but they understand their child is a separate human being. the toxic parent doesn't understand that. they're overly suffocating. they view their child as an object. >> reporter: "the cincinnati ending requirer" reported the prestigious music program offered aubrey a scholarship for her final year. when her parents stopped paying tuition and wanted their daughter to pay them back for her first three years at the university. the judge ordered the parents to stay at least 500 feet away there their daughter until september of 2013.

♪ >> reporter: meanwhile, vote go-- the show goes on for ireland, still performing and set to graduated in the spring. for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news, chicago. >> we did try to reach aubrey ireland's parents but were not successful. carl? >> thanks. it's been an eventful year for britain's royal family from the queen's diamond jubilee to word that the duke and duchess of cambridge will become parents in the coming months. we have a look. ♪ >> reporter: it was a year of celebrations for a life dedicated to service and new life on the way. so many reason to be happy despite the few bumps along the royal road. the biggest royal news of 2012, kate and william are expecting their first child. even while pregnant, kate has thrown herself into royal life. she began the year by picking

five charities to support. they got the world's attention, and we started to see kate's personality. as one royal started a new job, another prepared to return to an old one. prince harry had already served in afghanistan and was getting ready to return. unfortunately, in vegas he dropped his guard by dropping his clothes. wherever the royals are, there are cameras to catch them as the duchess learned the hard way. >> hey there! >> reporter: the couple's tour of the far east of overshadowed by topless photos published in france, but kate carried on. >> this year she's been supportive from -- i think she's done everything that a princess should do besides looking stunning, of course. ♪ >> reporter: but 2012 was about one royal woman, the queen celebrated 60 years on the throne. her diamond jubilee marked the beginning of britain taking center stage. and at the london opec the queen had a starring role.

>> good evening. >> good evening, your majesty. >> reporter: the queen shows little sign of slowing down,y about her oldest grandson now has to choose between his job as a helicopter pilot and becoming a full-time royal. >> the queen at 86, of course, is key for prince william to get more involved in the workings of the royal family. >> reporter: we know prince william will definitely have a new role in 2013. he'll become a dad. whatever the coming year brings for the royals, there will be at least one reason to celebrate. for "today," nbc news, london. >> it has been an amazing year for them. although the james bond image, the first that comes in my mind now. >> oh, from the -- >> whenever i see -- >> the queen. i loved it. it was cute. getting a little bit more life out of him there. fun. up next, from "call me maybe" to "gangnam style" the lo year in social media. first these messages. ♪

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time for a look at the year in social media. what a busy year it's been. >> jenna, you scoured twitter, facebook -- >> i did. >> youtube. >> yep. >> you found some of the biggest moments on year that played out on line. >> i did. all -- >> no shortage of material. >> it took about 11 months, but i worked day in and day out just for this. from your tweets and instagram photos to viral videos on youtube shared with facebook friends, every news event and every pop culture moment was turned into an instantly shared experience. let's take a little journey looking back at the highlights and lowlights of the name-making events of 2012. ♪ >> 2012, a year when a single tweet, hash tag --

♪ >> or viral video could instantly bring people together like never before. ♪ >> reporter: this year we finally got back to what's important, friendship. on facebook, the average user now has 130 friends. that's comforting. remember when -- >> you've got mail. >> reporter: of the d-- was the key to happiness? this year it's this. the international sign of success. twitter followers as in i have more than 30,000. a lot less than lester holt, a lot more than my dad. but in a twitter kingdom, it's lady gaga who now rules all with more than 30 million followers hanging on her every tweet. ♪ >> it was a good year for love. so good, in fact, it was one of the top five instagram hash tags of 2012. along with instagood, me, cute, and tbt, throwback thursday. one topic that never gets old --

sex. links about it are shared 90% more than any other subject out there. what about something a little more old-fashioned like a phone call? ♪ hey i just met you ♪ ♪ and this is crazy >> the catchy tune that has everyone calling -- ♪ here's my number so share it baby ♪ >> by the way, that song, one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. first comes love, then comes marriage. remember this -- ♪ i think i wanna marry you >> he proposed to her in one of the most popular viral videos of the year. 16 million youtube views. and oh, yeah, she said yes. [ applause ] >> we were not without our share of heartache this year, what we felt we shared with the world. in a five-day span after hurricane sandy, people sent more than 20 million tweets about the storm's impact and aftermath. moments and monuments. captured and uploaded, shared by

thousands as they went viral. those far away could suddenly be part of the solution by donating, tweets mentioning the phrase "donate blood" reached a 365-day peak. some new faces hopped aboard the twitter train, the pope. he sent out his first tweet which was re-tweeted 46,000 times. matt lauer also joined twitter -- well, he was sort of peer pressured by a guy named bieber. >> everyone, go buy -- >> no, no. no, no, no. no! >> who helped matt reach 100,000 followers within five hours of sending his very first tweet. impressive until you compare that to the leader of the free world. >> thank you, america! [ applause ] >> president obama's victory facebook post was the most liked photo ever with more than four million like. that's a lot of like. and his victory tweet was the most re-tweeted tweet ever at over 800,000. can't believe that beat out the picture of me and my nephew max.

close second? i don't think so. and then there was the chair. >> i'm not going to shut up. it's my turn. >> social media went crazy with parodies, even renaming the concept eastwooding. it even beat out some of its fiercest competitors for most ridiculous political topic of the year. a list which includedbiners full of women -- >> binders full of women. >> and big bird. no matter where you went, there were this year. mars -- >> touchdown confirmed! we're safe on mars! [ cheers ] >> yeah, nasa live tweeted from there as the "curiosity" rover made its way to the red planet. london, the opec games alone generated 150 million tweets. at times reaching 116,000 tweets a minute. and while we may obsess over princess kate's trendy winter wear, her baby news did all the trending this month. more than a million tweets reflected some keen interest in

the next generation royal. so no matter how tech savvy you were there year, no matter how much time you spent in cyber-space, you couldn't escape the enticing fun to be had from social media outlets like facebook, twitter, linkedin, pinterest, google plus, myspace, and so many more. bottom line, if it happens, it will somehow be documented. the next time you're in a room with two twins and a guitar-playing dad and someone says, "hey, did you see that," you to k confidently say, "yeah." i'm sure a lot of other people will soon be watching it, as well. ♪ >> great. >> there it is. >> i love that max made an appearance. >> yes. nephew max will make an appearance for the rest of my life. even when he's 50, i'm like, this is nephew max. >> how -- >> what are you going to be when you're -- when he's 50? >> please. i don't know what that was about. there were so many moments that we forgot about over the year. >> yeah. >> that we only knew about because it was in some sort of

atmosphere up there in social media that -- >> don't you wonder how we got along before twitter? >> no idea. >> seriously. >> i'm live tweeting right now. >> how many followers does lester have? >> considerably more than i have. let's put it like this. it was a good year. >> it was. thanks. next, the warm moments on the ice at the skating rink at rockefeller center behind us here. first, this is "today" on nbc.

nice shot of the skating rink here at rockefeller center. it is one of new york city's most iconic destinations. it's also home to some pretty special once in a lifetime moments. right outside our doors at rockefeller center, home to the country's most celebrated christmas tree, we often hear applause this time of year. we know it means something

special is happening. the reason for those moments, people like this -- they flew 4,000 miles from the netherlands just to be here. he's about to give his girlfriend rita the surprise of her life. >> she doesn't have a clue. she's been waiting for a long time. >> she's been dropping hints. >> yeah. she put books on my pillow with wedding dresses and rings. >> reporter: he's going to propose. he chose this spot because it's the same place as her favorite movie scene. >> in "home alone" at the end, kevin stands in front of the tree. that's her favorite moment. i think why not bring her to the tree. >> you're pretty confident she's going to say yes. >> i think she's going to say yes, yes. i'm still nervous. >> rita thinks she's just here to skate under the festive tree. but as the rink empties, summit

keeps her on the ice. >> baby? do you want to marry me? [ cheers ] >> looking deep into the eyes. i just started crying. [ applause ] >> during the holidays, applause rings out many times every day. [ applause ] >> a romantic, wonderful experience. >> for 29 years, rickey samuels has been a skating instructor at the rink. >> everyone wants to skate. i touch their hands, kiss them. it's so thrilling. >> i love you. >> you, too. >> the instructor says she's never seen anyone say no. still, she has noted that women are almost always at a life for words. >> i love you so much, will you please marry me? >> yes.

[ applause ] >> yet another perfect proposal. complete with -- [ laughter ] >> waiting for the applause -- >> i love you. will you marry me? [ cheers ] >> i will say real quick, my office overlooks the rink. the other day i was in the office, in a five-hour span, there were six proposals on the ice. >> that's what sparked the story. our reducer shares it all day long. he said, have we ever done a story on this? it is constant. it is. they're all sweet. >> if you've never been, it is one of the most amazing spots. not just in new york but the whole country. amazing place. >> it is. come by and visit us. we'll be back after this. [ boy ] eggo! [ female announcer ] eggo waffles are a great way

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coming up sunday, we have a look back at the year's most scandalous stories. and "mad" magazine's 60 years of satire. see you tomorrow. have a great day. good morning, everyone. i'm angie goff. >> and i'm richard jordan.

straight ahead, a winter storm in our region this morning. here's veronica. >> finally some snow coming into our area and rotating through. but it's started much later. how much will we get now? i'll have the forecast. derek. >> reporter: some old snow on the ground. will it get a new coating today? i'm derek ward. i'll have details coming up on news 4. >> thanks, derek. this weather could have a big impact an travel as people return from the holiday break or get out of town for new year's. >> here's one popular destination. we're monitoring the system's impact beyond our region. this is a live look where the flakes are just starting to fall in new york city. >> and you can also help us tell this weather story. all you have to do is tweet us your pictures to news 4 today. mark actually just did.

[ singing christmas carols in background ] aunt sally's singing again. it's a tradition, honey. [ singing christmas carols ] mmmm. [ female announcer ] make new traditions with pillsbury grands! cinnamon rolls. [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ get to holiday fun faster with pillsbury cookie dough.

storm team 4 radar already picking up winter weather in the area. that big storm is rolling our way right now. >> a live look outside. now we are in for a nasty mix of rain, snow, and strong winds to start off the weekend. it's going to be be coming down in the next few hours. good morning. i'm richard jordan. >> and i'm angie goff. welcome to news 4 today. it is saturday, december 29th, 2012. yes, we're getting reports of snow all over the area. >> we have our reporters positioned across the area to br